When I’m talking with a new (or current) client I repeatedly hear that they would like their hair to be: natural looking, healthy, and as low maintenance as possible. I always try to pick a hair coloring option that will do as little (or no) damage, grow out beautifully, and will look as if it could be someone’s color that they were born with. My favorite technique for coloring grey is to choose a formula with a translucent (you can still see thru it) nature, that won’t lift (lighten) or change the clients natural base color, but will instead impart a gorgeous, soft, shiny and conditioning sheen. I tend to formulate this color several shades lighter that my clients natural shade, which turns the undesired grays into beautiful, glowing highlights.

This process is:

gentle

fast

cost effective (one step)

multi-dimensional

does not use bleach

low maintenance

a process that will leave you with amazing hair

conditioning

This is far and beyond my favorite way to blend grey away while adding shine, dimension and color. Have you thought about covering grey but were afraid of the maintenance? This is technique to cover grey for you?

When I was 4 years old, my older sister got an amazing new doll for Christmas. Her hair would grow a bit every time you pulled a string that was on her back. I had such fun Christmas morning, hiding behind a blue and white checkered wing chair as I cut, then pulled the string, and then cut again. At one point I pulled the string and… nothing happened. I was aghast, panicked… how could this happen? My sister was less than pleased as well. I’m sure this wasn’t the only Christmas that I had ever ruined for her!

So here’s the thing: Everyone wants something new and different, and to change their hair as often as they change the polish color on their toes, but it’s not a great idea. Many times I’ll have a client come to me who was a platinum blonde but had recently colored their hair to a dark brown (almost black) and they want to see that platinum blonde hair color again, as soon as possible. I’d rather tell you before you do that:

Hair has it’s limits

Once you process hair to a certain point, nothing, and I mean nothing can be done

It’s better to make subtle, gradual changes if healthy, shiny hair is important to you

Products can improve and protect, but there is no magic cure. Once your hair has received a certain amount of damage you must grow it out. This can take years, not months.

Changing your hair color to a darker color does not give it a break, unless that is the last color you are going to use. Lightening your hair after darkening it means going over previously lightened pieces, which equals damage.

It’s definitely possible to have beautiful, healthy and shiny hair which is colored, but always keep in mind that your hair will eventually stop bouncing back after a certain point just like my sister’s Christmas doll. The best thing that you can do for yourself is to pick a range of hair color and stick with it.

I too love to change my hair color, but if I want to keep it nearly waist length and healthy, I can’t constantly change the color. What I can do to add in bright highlights, pastel colors or deep, rich lowlights is to apply extensions. Extensions are a low commitment, damage free (if cared for properly) choice when wanting to shift the overall color of your hair to something new. At Megan Graham Beauty we use extensions for many different reasons: Length, volume, texture, thickness and color. They are my absolute favorite way to make a change, while keeping your hair beautiful.

Hair extensions can be beautiful, adding fullness and length to flat, lifeless hair, but they aren’t for everyone. There are so many types to choose from: adhesive, clip in, bonded…and many companies that supply extensions.

You are a good candidate for hair extensions if you:

Are gentle with your hair

Use high quality products and keep them off of the extension bonds

Are willing to come to the salon for regular maintenance

Spend the time maintaining the bonds, and keep them from tangling with other bonds

Replace the bonds within a reasonable amount of time, keeping your hair healthy

Braid your hair at night while sleeping

You are not a good candidate for hair extensions if you:

Want very low maintenance hair

Are not willing to come to the salon for maintenance

Do not use extremely high quality cleansing products for your hair

Do not untangle your bonds, and separate them daily

Plan to keep them in until they come out on their own

Are looking for a low cost option

Have baby fine hair

Are losing hair

Extensions can be gorgeous when they are styled and maintained properly. They can look amazing, but for the wrong person, they can also be too much work, or responsibily. Having a gorgeous, natural set of human hair extensions can truly enhance your look if you are willing to invest time and money to maintain them. I have some clients come in for their fresh set of extensions with bonds that are still in very good shape (because they have separated them daily) and removal is a very easy process for these clients. I also have clients who come in with large tangles all around the extension bonds, which occurs when they are not separated daily. I don’t recommend that people who come in with very tangled bonds get them more than twice. The first time, we discuss the best way to maintain them, and keep their own hair healthy, and I hope they come back the second time with separated bonds. If this isn’t the case, I know that they may not be good candidates for extensions.

You’re better off not washing your hair than cleansing with inferior products. Sometimes in the salon when I talk about products, I get the sense that people think they aren’t as important as they truly are. are. When I color someone’s hair, taking the time to make sure it’s shiny, natural, and blended and my client tells me that they are using cut rate cleansers, it breaks my heart. There is a big difference between products, and to me using the cheap stuff is the equivalent washing a shiny, new Ferrari with comet. It’s not the right product for the job and it can actually do harm. The right products protect and preserve color, and prevent breakage. The wrong products coat your hair, yet simultaneously dry it out, and fade color. My two favorite product lines , and yes, we sell them , are Minardi Luxury Color Care and Kerastase. Minardi products take parched, dried out and fragile hair and infuse incredible softness and luster by using only top quality ingredients that mimic the lipids naturally present in hair. Instead of simply coating, they nourish and heal. Healthy hair equals a gorgeous color result.

P.S. You don’t have to throw away your old shampoo, you can use it to clean your makeup brushes.

On my way out of town the other night, I stopped for a moment just before I was about to get in the car, and set down one of the heavy bags I was carrying (my overnight bag to be exact) scoop up Teddy, my five pound yorkie. He was on a leash, but still not behaving, Anyway, in a moment of distraction, I drove away not thinking for a moment about the fact that my bag with all of my very favorite things inside, sat all by itself on the concrete. (more…)